Heredity. 



An address before the Stockbridge Institute, by Mrs. Libbie McGuinness of 



Munnsville. 



I read an article recently, from the pen of a bright woman, in 

 which she said that, if she could have the best wish of her heart 

 granted by a kind Heaven, it would be that she might have her 

 choice of ancestors. 



Well, we cannot have that. We cannot " go back of the re- 

 turns," but must stand as we are elected. 



Our forefathers and foremothers are facts, and we must take 

 what we have inherited from them, with the best grace we may. 

 Let us hope that, in some cases, it will be a fighting grace. 



But the subject is one which every one will do well to think 

 upon, especially those who have children, and the young people 

 themselves. 



Heredity is a well-established fact in the animal kingdom. 

 Farmers and stockmen are quick to note and take advantage of 

 its laws, and to act with good sense and judgment in regard to 

 the inheritance of qualities in their herds. 



The intelligent farmer will gravely warn his son of the danger 

 of introducing certain families or strains among his animals, and 

 affirm that form, disposition, and qualities are hereditary, and 

 that he should carefully study the subject of heredity, and act ac- 

 cording to its laws, if he wishes the best success; but, when it 

 comes to the young man's choice of a wife, too often the father's 

 first question will not be, " What will she inherit in the mental, 

 moral, and physical line?" but, "What will be her inheritance 

 in bonds, stocks, lands, mortgages, or ready money?" 



To be sure, the bequest of wealth may denote honest thrift on 

 the ancestor's part, and then, again, it may not; and it is gener- 

 ally said that the money acquired by meanness, fraud, and avar- 

 ice, is more often a curse than a blessing to the heir. 



The best thing a child can have is a noble, good father and 

 mother; and the next best, I take it, to be good grandparents; and 

 if, for generations back, there have been virtue, honor, goodness, 

 industry and intelligence, has not that child a good prospect of 

 a grand inheritance ? 



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